Vol. 489 No. 6
244 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Defence the progress, if any, made on the question of allowances payable to enlisted personnel of the Air Corps in the signals area since Parliamentary Question No. 16 of 5 November 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9243/98]
Under the Defence (Amendment) Act 1990, matters relating to pay and allowances come within the scope of representation of the Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association (PDFORRA) and the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (RACO) and may be processed through the conciliation and arbitration scheme for the Permanent Defence Force which was established in agreement with the associations. The question of allowances payable to enlisted personnel of the Air Corps has been raised by the representative association concerned, PDFORRA, and is the subject of discussions at sub-committee of council level. A number of meetings with the association has already been held and another meeting will be arranged shortly. The terms of the conciliation and arbitration scheme, which are agreed with the association, provide that matters being discussed under it are confidential to the parties involved. You will appreciate, therefore, that it would be inappropriate for me to comment in any detail on this matter other than to say that every effort is being made to effect a mutually satisfactory resolution.
